Help-problems with our nail girl

[SalonOwner123]

Hi Everyone,

Advice needed if possible. Long post- sorry!

I won't go into personal details as want to keep it quite confidential. However, I own a Hair and Beauty Salon and I have a Nail Girl renting space from me. Within the space of a week I have had three clients unhappy with their nails, complaining of Acrylics lifting within days/hours, and Shellac peeling off within hours. I had my own Shellac done with her, and mine chipped and peeled within a few days. She has had to offer one full refund already, and two corrections, and clients are obviously associating it with MY salon rather than the girl herself. I know nothing about Nails, so can anyone offer advice on whether its the products possibly or just her? She uses CND Shellac and everything is branded and brand new. A recent client had her nails peel 3 hours after her appointment, but the Nail Girl's response to me was "People expect them to last forever!".. It had been 3 hours!! Qualification wise she is fully qualified and has been for a few months now. I completely understand everyone starts somewhere but we all know when its us or our products, and she's not exactly charging cheap prices to justify a service not up to scratch.

The next issue I have is there is seeming to be a slight attitude from her. She isn't greeting clients when they are coming in, and I've had clients stood ignored. I know she is renting space, and I don't expect her to cater to my clients, but when someone walks into a Salon and no matter whether you are an employee or a chair rental I think its common decency and manners to say Hello at least. I have (probably stupidly) bought a lot of furniture for her, altered the layout of the salon, and continue to buy things to help improve her area so its in keeping with the salon decor, and there never has once been a thank-you. I even asked if she wanted to go halves on a few items she needed to actually offer some of her services and she outright said No.

Reading this back now alarm bells are ringing for me! But it's hard running a busy salon and still having all of my own clients let alone chasing after someone making sure they are up to scratch. After all this is why I chose to not employ her, as I believed that someone self-employed with an existing client base would take pride in their work.

I don't want to hurt her feelings, and I obviously am not qualified in Nails so don't want to offend or try critique a service I have no experience in, but i've even tried to suggest Model Days or doing friends etc for a very cheap price to gain her more experience but that doesn't seem to have taken off. Luckily she is on a trial period for 3 months but I can't have this having a bad knock on effect for the Reputation of the Salon. There is a number of amazing nail salons and tech's in the area who offer a fab service for the same price or a little more expensive. I know as a client where I would rather go, and I know that people will start to associate this poor service with the SALON rather than the TECHNICIAN.

I'm just wanting advice on whether its the product or her thats making the Nails not last, and then what everyone else would do?! Help!!

 

[RED STAR]

That's why I choose to employ....I've been down that road myself...and it never ends well. - I'm always the one out of pocket!

Add to that the embarrassment of poor workmanship and a rather 'lack lustre' service.....
I'd get rid A.S.A.P if I were you!

 

[AcidPerm]

Impossible to know whether it’s her technique that’s the problem without knowing what steps she takes.

However, a poor attitude towards clients is more of a worry as visiting a salon is meant to be a positive relaxing experience and even if the nails were perfect, clients won’t book back in if their technician isn’t welcoming and friendly.

As you say, a mediocre experience will automatically reflect badly on your salon. That’s generally how it goes.

 

[body talk]

Why not get in another nail technician so they have ideas to bounce off each other? I can imagine it must be quite daunting for the nail tech if she's the only one who does it, she's newly qualified and you say you don't know anything about nails. If you were to let her know that it's affecting the reputation of the salon and that at the end of the 3 months period she isn't likely to be asked to renew her contract unless there's more client satisfaction, then that might just motivate her to try harder? If you're a beauty salon I assume you're needing another nail tech in anyway, so maybe that's something to consider. Good luck!

 

[Beckybee]

We rented out a nail bar when we first opened and fell pretty much into the same situation.

Absolutely no salon etiquette, very loud on her phone, would stop halfway through her treatment to answer it... Problems with nails failing.

We let her go. The next advert we put 3 years experience required.

 

[BannerPenguin]

I'd say don't worry about her feelings because if she's pushing clients away/creating a bad rep for your salon 'her feelings' won't pay the bills. A bit harsh maybe but it's the reality and its business.

I've been nice before with clients and been stung. It's hard as we are all human.

Situation of give notice ASAP and get her out and get someone in who appreciates the nice room

 

[Alison Pilkington-Child]

Jeez I would love to have the opportunity she has, she’s an idiot!!! I wish I lived near your salon, I would be so concerned to do you proud. You have a wrong’un, don’t waste your time or reputation. You will surely find someone more compatible with your ethics.

 

[Lucy1992]

I always think if I have a member of staff i wouldn't want doing my hair/nails/tan... should they really be in my business? Because realistically you can't recommend someone who you don't believe in their skill. Even though she isn't employed by you she works alongside you and will be a reflection on your business. Just politely tell her its not working for you and wish her all the best for her future. Hope it all works out for you whatever you decide! x

 

[redlottie13]

I can't offer advice on the nails technique. However this exact thing happened to me....only itgot worse. I had to let her go, the last straw was her coming in smelling of cigarettes & swearing in front of clients!

Just not worth the hassle x

 

[SalonOwner123]

Hi Everyone,

Thankyou for all of your replies and advice!

So, update;
It got to the point where (no exaggeration!) every, single, client complained! Luckily she wasn't filling a column yet, and was quiet. But every single client either came back for a refund, or messaged to say they were unhappy. THANKFULLY these were our OWN clients and they were SO understanding and completely understood that the issue was her and not us, and that she was only renting space. We offered our own apologies and complimentary treatments to keep everyone happy, and they've been loyal to us for YEARS so almost laughed it off as a bad experience.

Anyway, we took her to one side and explained we cannot be having this constantly happening, and she literally there and then quit. Myself and my colleagues had a discussion that we would let her go anyway, but she decided to jump before she was pushed. Her reasons were that being self-employed wasn't for her, and she didn't know what was happening, this has apparently never happened with any of her own clients which I struggle to believe. In this industry we all make errors but its about how we deal with them. She would have unhappy clients sat at her desk, but would either leave them and go and cry/sit in the back, and refuse to continue, or she wouldn't even face clients and would ask to refund them via bank transfer. I'm so thankful I didn't employ her, as she would've been loosing us so much money and custom, making us zero profit, but I still would've been paying her daily. So with her paying rent, she was out of pocket.

Luckily in her contract she signed she had to pay & work a months notice, but of course we didn't want her to work the month and she decided she wasn't going to work it also. So payment wise, her outstanding rent was paid as well as the month's notice rent, and this covered everything we had paid out for. On returning to the salon to collect her own kit etc she was rude, didn't make any conversation to even say goodbye or thanks, and almost played the victim as though she was an innocent party in all of this; just showing that this was 100% for the best. She spent 2 and a half hours that morning soaking off her final clients nails, which as ive said perviously; I know i'm no nail tech but it does NOT take 2 and a half hours to soak off a faulty half-hanging off set you applied less than 24 hours ago.

Moving forward, I will never ever take on anyone renting or employed without seeing a hell of a lot of their work in person for MYSELF and on clients that I am in touch with. Before, she used her own friends and family for me to see her work, and obviously I've no way of chasing up to see if they were actually satisfied with the treatments. I'm too trusting.

Its safe to say we've got off lightly, and its been a massive learning curve. Sometimes when your so passionate about your Salon and Workplace, its easy to think that everyone else has the same passion and professionalism, and she was fantastic at fooling me and others from Day 1.

Relieved doesn't even cover it!!
Xx

 

[body talk]

Hi Everyone,

Thankyou for all of your replies and advice!

So, update;
It got to the point where (no exaggeration!) every, single, client complained! Luckily she wasn't filling a column yet, and was quiet. But every single client either came back for a refund, or messaged to say they were unhappy. THANKFULLY these were our OWN clients and they were SO understanding and completely understood that the issue was her and not us, and that she was only renting space. We offered our own apologies and complimentary treatments to keep everyone happy, and they've been loyal to us for YEARS so almost laughed it off as a bad experience.

Anyway, we took her to one side and explained we cannot be having this constantly happening, and she literally there and then quit. Myself and my colleagues had a discussion that we would let her go anyway, but she decided to jump before she was pushed. Her reasons were that being self-employed wasn't for her, and she didn't know what was happening, this has apparently never happened with any of her own clients which I struggle to believe. In this industry we all make errors but its about how we deal with them. She would have unhappy clients sat at her desk, but would either leave them and go and cry/sit in the back, and refuse to continue, or she wouldn't even face clients and would ask to refund them via bank transfer. I'm so thankful I didn't employ her, as she would've been loosing us so much money and custom, making us zero profit, but I still would've been paying her daily. So with her paying rent, she was out of pocket.

Luckily in her contract she signed she had to pay & work a months notice, but of course we didn't want her to work the month and she decided she wasn't going to work it also. So payment wise, her outstanding rent was paid as well as the month's notice rent, and this covered everything we had paid out for. On returning to the salon to collect her own kit etc she was rude, didn't make any conversation to even say goodbye or thanks, and almost played the victim as though she was an innocent party in all of this; just showing that this was 100% for the best. She spent 2 and a half hours that morning soaking off her final clients nails, which as ive said perviously; I know i'm no nail tech but it does NOT take 2 and a half hours to soak off a faulty half-hanging off set you applied less than 24 hours ago.

Moving forward, I will never ever take on anyone renting or employed without seeing a hell of a lot of their work in person for MYSELF and on clients that I am in touch with. Before, she used her own friends and family for me to see her work, and obviously I've no way of chasing up to see if they were actually satisfied with the treatments. I'm too trusting.

Its safe to say we've got off lightly, and its been a massive learning curve. Sometimes when your so passionate about your Salon and Workplace, its easy to think that everyone else has the same passion and professionalism, and she was fantastic at fooling me and others from Day 1.

Relieved doesn't even cover it!!
Xx

Oh Lordy, it does sound a nightmare! I guess that's what learning curves are for - you'd think giving people the benefit of the doubt would be enough to make them realise when they're on to a good thing. I'm just about to start down the renting out salon space to self employed therapists & I know one or two personally but the others I don't, so this thread has been food for thought for me.
Glad you're clients understood & it's all over now.